This study was conducted on species composition, morphology, ecological characteristics, biotope distribution, ecological groups, biodiversity indicators and zoogeography of leeches and gastropods distributed in the lower Ak-Buura River. According to the results, it was found that 7 species of leeches belonging to 4 families and 6 genera and 10 species of fresh-water gastropods belonging to 3 families and 6 genera live in the lower Ak-Buura River. In the river, it was observed that leeches are mainly distributed in muddy biotopes, and gastropods are widespread in muddy, stony and sandy biotopes with a lot of plants. Biodiversity indices of leeches and gastropods in the Ak-Buura River were analyzed using the Shannon index. As a result, it

Concerns about the environment, the cost of energy, and safety mean that low-energy cold-mix asphalt materials are very interesting as a potential replacement for present-day hot mix asphalt. The main disadvantage of cold bituminous emulsion mixtures is their poor early life strength, meaning they require a long time to achieve mature strength. This research work aims to study the protentional utilization of waste and by-product materials as a filler in cold emulsion mixtures with mechanical properties comparable to those of traditional hot mix asphalt. Accordingly, cold mix asphalt was prepared to utilize paper sludge ash (PSA) and cement kiln dust (CKD) as a substitution for conventional mineral filler with percentages ranging fro

     Twelve cigarette  tobacco samples of various brands and origins   were gathered from local markets of Iraq. . The C_Rn  was determined utilizing CR-39 track detectors which were exposed to the various brands of cigarettes tobacco for 45 days. The  results demonstrated that the highest value of ²²²Rn concentration was )157 Bq/m³( in Macbeth cigarette sample of Brazilian origin and the lowest value of C_Rn was (76.3 Bq/m³ (in Sumer cigarette sample of Iraqi origin,with an average value of (106.53±22.3 Bq/m³). The outcomes have demonstrated that cigarettes of a Brazilian origin contain higher C_Rn tha

The food web is a crucial conceptual tool for understanding the dynamics of energy transfer in an ecosystem, as well as the feeding relationships among species within a community. It also reveals species interactions and community structure. As a result, an ecological food web system with two predators competing for prey while experiencing fear was developed and studied. The properties of the solution of the system were determined, and all potential equilibrium points were identified. The dynamic behavior in their immediate surroundings was examined both locally and globally. The system’s persistence demands were calculated, and all conceivable forms of local bifurcations were investigated. With the aid of MATLAB, a numerical simu

It is suitable to use precast steel-concrete composite beams to quickly assemble a bridge or a building, particularly in isolated regions where cast-in-situ concrete is not a practical option. If steel-concrete composite beams are designed to allow demountability, they can also be extremely useful in the aftermath of natural disasters, such as earthquakes or flooding, to replace damaged infrastructure. Furthermore, rapid replacement of slabs is extremely beneficial in case of severe deterioration due to long-term stressors such as fatigue or corrosion. The only way to rapidly assemble and disassemble a steel-concrete composite structure is to use demountable shear connectors to connect/disconnect the steel beams to/from the concrete slab. I

Osteopontin hormone (OPN) is an extracellular matrix protein that is expressed in bone cells such as osteoblasts and osteoclasts and associated with bone turnover and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

     The aim of the study is to investigate serum levels of circulating OPN and its relationship with biochemical parameters and BMD in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis in Iraq. Serum samples from fifty postmenopausal women were selected from patients attending two educational hospitals in Baghdad, which are AL Wasity Educational Hospital and Baghdad Educational Hospital, during the period from November 2018 to March 2019. Twenty five postmenopausal healthy women were inc

A novel welded demountable shear connector for sustainable steel-concrete composite structures is proposed. The proposed connector consists of a grout-filled steel tube bolted to a compatible partially threaded stud, which is welded on a steel section. This connector allows for an easy deconstruction at the end of the service life of a building, promoting the reuse of both the concrete slabs and the steel sections. This paper presents the experimental evaluation of the structural behavior of the proposed connector using a horizontal pushout test arrangement. The effects of various parameters, including the tube thickness, the presence of grout infill, and the concrete slab compressive strength, were assessed. A nonlinear finite element mode

This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of red cabbage and garlic extracts on the oxidative stress induced through treatment with fumonisin B1 in male mice. The study was conducted on sixty male mice that were divided  randomly into six groups. Group 1included control mice, mice in group 2 received a daily oral dose (200 µg/kg.b.w) of fumonisin B1 for one month to induced mycotoxicosis, mice in group 3 received 500 mg/kg.b.w red cabbage extract plus fumonisin B1, mice in group 4 received only red cabbage extract, mice in group 5 received 500 mg/kg.b.w garlic extract plus fumonisin B1, and group 6 received garlic extract alone. After finishing  the experiments, samples of blood  were used for biochemi